The present invention relates in general to an image producing/displaying system and an image producing/displaying method which are used to virtually produce a virtual world and to develop a drama, which is made occur therein, along a scenario which is previously prepared and to image the drama of interest to display the drama of interest.
Heretofore, in a moving picture and the like, the characters play the parts along the story which is previously determined to progress a drama. In the moving picture for example, the various scenes are photographed along the scenario and those scenes are subjected to the cutting process to construct an image work. This is applied to the dramas in the television except that the video tape is used as the recording medium instead of the films. In addition, in the case of the animation as well, the original picture is produced every scene along the scenario and then is imaged to be recorded in the video tape for example, and the original picture thus recorded in the video tape is subjected to the cutting process, thereby constructing the image work.
In the case of the moving picture for example, the reproduction of such a conventional image work is carried out in such a way that the picture on the film is projected on a screen to display the moving image on the screen while feeding the film successively by a moving picture projector. In the case of the television, for example, the reproduction is carried out in such a way that the video tape is reproduced by the VTR to display an image on a monitor. This is also applied to the animation.
When analyzing such a conventional image display system, it is understood that the following feature is present. That is, in the conventional system, the reproduced image can be viewed only from a view which is specified by the manufacturer. This results from the fact that the scenario itself was written on the assumption that the story written in the scenario is viewed from a certain view, and the image is also manufactured in accordance with the scenario. Therefore, the reproduced image is necessarily forced to be viewed from a given view. For example, the drama about a fugitive and a pursuer is now assumed. In such a drama, in the conventional image displaying system, the drama is described on the fugitive side at a certain time point and the drama is developed on the pursuer side at another time point, and those stories are alternately provided to construct generally the drama. Then, a viewer who views the drams thus produced admires the drama as produced.
Now, in recent years, as the multi-media has been developed, the user is not satisfied with that the information is simply given in a one-side manner and hence desires that the access can be carried out so as to positively obtain the information which the user wants to know by his/her own accord. It is considered that this is also applied to the world in the drama. In other words, it is considered that the user has the potential demand that the user wants to view the drama from a view, which is specified by the user, as well as from a view given by the manufacturer. For example, in the case of the above-mentioned drama about the fugitive and the pursuer, by viewing the drama from a standpoint only on one side, it is expected that a feeling of identification with the character in the specified place will be increased. More specifically, if viewing the drama from a view of the fugitive, the user will be able to more deeply sympathize with both a mental state and a thrill of the fugitive who intends to abscond from the pursuer while being frightened at the unvisible pursuer. On the other hand, if standing at a point of view on the pursuer side, the user will be able to more deeply feel the real pleasure of solving the enigma in which the pursuer, i.e., the user pursues the fugitive while locating the fugitive's whereabouts.
In the conventional moving picture, however, it is difficult to realize such a demand. The reason is firstly that the potential requirement for the production and the display of such a new image is not picked up. Secondly, that reason is that such a new manufacturer's way of thinking is not present. Thirdly, that reason is that any system for use therein is not present.
As for other examples of the image producing/displaying system, refer to an article of "access", summer 1994, vol. 8, No. 2 and an article of "SIGGRAPH 94 Visual Proceedings" pp. 218 to 267.